1997-07-17 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMO TO: PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 111 FROM: MARY SAARION DATE: JULY 11, 1997 SUBJECT: GREENFIELD PARK ISSUES There have been two issues from residents living adjacent to Greenfield Park that the Parks and Recreation Commission needs to address. One issues is the foul balls that continue to go into the yards of neighbors from baseball use at the baseball field. Balls are being hit down the third base. foul area into yards as well as continuing to be hit over and behind the backstop and netting. Residents have complained and are frustrated because the problem continues. They have asked for a solution to the problem. Greenfield Baseball Field is used by permit only to teams that are older, requiring a pitching mound. This is basically youth 13 - 18 year olds, the Babe Ruth age and Town teams. Each coach is required to obtain a permit, to come in for a key to the field and comply with the field maintenance duties. There are a number of teams that use the field - all are association teams and not city sponsored teams. This means that the associations receive registration fees and not the city. To date, no part of the associations'registration fee revenues is forwarded to the city for maintenance, equipment or capital expenses. On the other hand, city sponsored athletic programs charge as part of the fee, monies that go into the maintenance and equipment of ballfield 111 activities ie. New bases, chalk, ag-lime, etc. It is evident that additional netting is required along the third base out of bounds area(along the park boundary) to keep balls out of the properties. The cost for netting, poles, cable, attachments and installation is (Mary is obtaining estimates). One option is to request the associations to pay for all or a portion of the additional netting. The other option is to put additional netting in the capital budget. There has been precedent in the past of youth associations contribution monies for the improvement of fields that they use. The Little Lakes Little League has providing funding for additional fencing at Oakwood Park which is a field that they use. However, neither the Irondale Baseball League nor the Babe Ruth or town teams contribute funding for fields, even though they receive registration fees of which a portion could be dedicated to assist with field maintenance costs and capital improvements. I would like to have the Parks and Recreation Commission discuss this issue as there will need to be a decision on how to pay for and deal with the problems that occur at Greenfield Park duc. balls damaging properties adjacent to Greenfield Park. Another issues that goes hand in hand with damages is property damage coverage - to be required by all youth associations that use city fields. Many cities require associations to have property • damage insurance to cover the costs of broken house and car windows, car dents, fence damages,